1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for processing transparency film assemblages of the instant or self-developing type.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatus for processing transparency film assemblages of the type which includes instant or self-developing type film generally fall into two main categories. In the first category, a transparency film assemblage is manually pulled between a pair of pressure generating members which rupture a container of processing liquid and spread its contents between elements of the assemblage to intiate fhe formation of a visible image in a film frame. Later, the transparency film assemblage is manually manipulated by the operator to remove certain elements of the assemblage, e.g., spent pod, emulsion layer strip sheet, leader, etc., before it can be placed in an apparatus for viewing of the photographed scene. Examples of apparatus in the first category may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,369,470 and 3,225,670.
In the second category, a transparency film assemblage is exposed and processed as described above except for the removal of the assemblage's pod, trap, or emulsion layer. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,166, the transparency film assemblage may be immediately moved into a viewer station of a camera after its processing while in the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,471, the processed assemblage generally retains its original make up except for the removal of an opaque backing sheet.
The apparatus which fall into the first category suffer from their inability to provide a garbage free, fully mounted, film transparency which may be immediately placed in a projector or viewer. The apparatus which fall into the second category suffer from their inability to strip the emulsion or photosensitive layer from the film frame during processing of the assemblage thus presenting to the operator a film tansparency whose visual acuity, brightness and stability are adversely affected because of the retention of the emulsion layer and residual processing liquid.
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for processing a transparency film assemblage in a manner which produces a garbage free unit whose emulsion layer has been substantially removed during such processing.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described above with means for removing a strip sheet having an emulsion layer of a film frame attached thereto from an area of the film frame which is to be subsequently projected.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described with means for grasping a strip sheet of a transparency film assemblage and removing it from superposition with an area of a film frame which is to be subsequently viewed.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.